July 14, 2023
Erlach -> Lusanne
Leaving the Deutschsprachigen Raum
I woke up today at a campground in Erlach. I was the only bikepacker from what I could tell. This campground catered to families travelling in camper vans. I packed up my camp, grabbed a couple broetchen, a package of ham, yogurt, and a bottle of orange juice from the camp store. This cost me almost 30 Francs. Switzerland is by far the most expensive place I have ever been to. Prices on pretty much everything seem about 2x as high as in neighboring France and Germany.
I took off from the campsite and rode towards Lac de Neuchatel. At some point before Lac de Neuchatel, I crossed the border into the French speaking part of Switzerland. The transition was very abrupt to say the least. One turn Komoot was saying german street names, the next, French. I then noticed all road signes and advertisements were in French. People walking on the sidewalks were speaking French. Bizarre.
The previous night as I was planning my route, I noticed the name of a town that looked familiar "Estaveyer Le Lac". I remembered that my old "mentor" that I had been assigned back to when I was going to study abroad was from there. We had chatted on Whatsapp during the pandemic, and I figured I would reach out and see if he was free to meet up. Sure enough, he was able to meet me for a couple hours at the lake for lunch. Samy was generous enough to bring lunch for us: Beer, sandwiches, and chips. We talked about what had happened in our lives since the last time we WhatsApp'd, as we sat by the lakeside watching people wakeboarding on the tow lines.
Samy then suggested I try a type of Swiss soda from the snack bar. I don't remember the name, but when I tried it I could have sworn it was sparkling apple cider. Turns out it is a soda made from whey. I would have never guessed.
Samy had some interesting insights into Swiss life. He told me that he was one of the only ones in his class to go on to college. Most people in switzerland do not pursue college, and instead begin Apprenticeships around 15 years old (this is similar to the German system). He said that most people who don't go to college never learn English. He seemed to be an exception. He said that technically, all swiss are supposed to learn German and French in school, but in the French part where he is from, many students never pay attention in German class, and only ever speak French. This lines up with my experience. There are many people in the French speaking part of Switzerland that are monolingual Francophones. He also said that Switzerland is the most politically conservative country in Europe. Women did not get the right to vote in all elections until 1990! He said that Swiss people in general are very averse to change (including the shift to electric vehicles), and they want to keep things the way they are. After cycling through the country for 2 days and seeing how spectacular their cities and countryside are, I can't say I entirely blame them for not wanting things to change (at least with things like land use policy and such).
He also said there is a type of tension between French Speaking Swiss and the French, and German speaking Swiss, and Germans. Apparently, even though they share common languages with their neighboring countries, the Swiss highly value their own national identity. He learned Hoch Deutsch in school, and shares my frustration with not being able to understand Schweitzer Deutsch very well.
After saying goodbye to Samy, I headed over to the wakeboarding cable tow park on Lac de Neuchatel. I paid 25 Francs for a 1/2 hour pass. I had been wakeboarding before and figured it wouldn't be that much different (wrong). Thankfully, no one was checking the time marking on my wristband because it took me a full hour to make an entire lap around the cable park.
I tried 4 times unsuccessfully to launch from a sitting position, and then switched to a standing position and got going on my first try. I must say that wakeboarding behind a cable tow is much harder than being towed by a boat. Unlike a boat, the direction of the tow line changes instantaneously when the cable goes around a corner pulley. After I completed a lap, I felt it was time to keep moving. I got out of the water, and within minutes of the adrenaline wearing off, realized I had pulled the tendon on my left pinky finger. Probably from a hard take-off. Oh well.
I made it about half way to my final destination: Lausanne, before I realized my charger brick was dead, and my phone was at 25%. I needed my phone for my Airbnb checkin, as well as google translate for interacting with French speaking people. I found the only restaurant within a reasonable bike ride from me, and headed there.
The restaurant was super boujee. I'm talking white table cloths, ornate glass table decorations, and two sets of knives and forks fancy. The wait staff was wearing full suits and formal attire. Thankfully when I rolled at 5:30 in with my sweaty, grease stained bike kit the place was completely empty. Apparently the swiss don't start eating dinner until 7:30. I asked the waiter who thankfully spoke a little english if I could charge my charger brick here. He said sure and plugged it in behind the bar. I looked through their menu and ordered the cheapest entree: Lamb meat balls with pasta and tomato sauce with a Fanta. It cost surprisingly little at only 30 Francs.
The wait staff chatted with me while I waited for my food. With the help of google translate, we were able to have a decent conversation. One of the servers had been to America twice: One time to see Yellowstone, and one time to visit a friend near the Canadian border. He said he thought highly of America.
The wait staff kept asking me if I wanted any appetisers or salad, and I kept declining as I was trying to keep the meal cheap. They then brought me out a bread basket with a small plate of sauteed chicken thigh and told me it was on the house. I thanked them with a "Merci", and dug in. When the main dish finally came, I could tell it was home made from scratch. One of the best meals I've had on this trip for sure.
By the time I was done eating, other patrons were starting to arrive. I got my charged charger brick from the bar counter, filled my water bladder from their bathroom sink, and headed to Lausanne.
I didn't arrive at my Airbnb in Lusanne until 9pm. There was a TON of construction going on in the area, and komoot kept trying to send me down roads that were closed for repaving. When I eventually made it there, I was greeted with modest accommodation on the third floor of an apartment building.
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Today's ride: 63 miles (101 km)
Total: 1,017 miles (1,637 km)
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10 months ago